Thursday, June 19, 2008

The war that has been waged between Comcast and The Big Ten Network finally seems to have been settled. All Comcast customers in the states that have Big Ten schools and other states have the option of getting the network within an expanded Sports package. Here are the particulars.....

Under the terms of the agreement, Comcast will initially launch the network as part of its expanded basic level of service to promote it to the majority of its customers residing in states with Big Ten universities (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, with the exception of the Philadelphia region which will launch on a broadly distributed digital level of service) starting August 15th. (Comcast does not have systems in Iowa, the eighth Big Ten state.) In Spring 2009, Comcast may elect to move the network to a broadly distributed digital level of service in most of its systems in these states. Comcast's digital customers in the Big Ten states will also have immediate access to live Big Ten games and events in high definition, Big Ten programming via Comcast's video-on-demand platform, and a wide array of conference-related content through Comcast.net.

Outside of the Big Ten states that Comcast serves, Comcast has the option to provide Big Ten Network programming on any level of service, including its Sports Entertainment Package.

Officials from Comcast and Big Ten Network said they look forward to utilizing both traditional and emerging media to bring more Big Ten programming to fans than was ever available to them before.

"We are very pleased with the agreement we have reached with the Big Ten Network to carry hundreds of live Big Ten events," said Madison Bond, Executive Vice President, Content Acquisition, Comcast Cable. "We will be providing our customers with Big Ten programming through our signature video-on-demand service, and will have lots of highlights, replays, scores and more through Comcast.net so fans can keep pace with Big Ten action whenever they want to."

Thank goodness that's over with. It's also amazing that this feud came to such an amicable end after about two years of dragging each others names through the mud. Now I will be able to watch the Wolverines lose to a 1-AA team to start the year! What's that? They don't play one??? Whew.

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Comments:

It figures. Just a few days after I move out of their service area, they do something like this. That's OK, though; my new cable provider has ESPNU and all of the Fox College Sports channels(without having to pay extra, too). Eff you Comcast.